Yeah I miss those days, so much good banter and technical information floating around. Often from people who had done the work too, so you'd get these little tidbits you'd never get from like a workshop manual or how-to guide. I remember countless times where I'd be like, how tf do I get to that bolt, and then someone on the forum had like a 12 step process to get to that one specific bolt already written up.
I'm only one minute in, but this camera setup with your cars in the workshop as a background looks absolutely sick. Can't wait to see the evergrowing collection of car parts, posters and other stuff being added in the future
I literally started reading all the Noriyaro blog in year 8 high school (age 13), I remember flipping between Noriyaro and Speedhunters at any chance I could get. Couldn't count the amount of times I got pulled off the computers or put in detention or sent out of class when I got caught. Fast forward to now, almost 26, I haven't missed a single Noriyaro or Noriyaro2 video since then. I had a small chat with you at QLD Raceway for 1JZ meeting and honestly man, you're supremely humble, extremely friendly and just an all around brilliant person to and for the car community in general. I know you were probably running on 3hrs sleep, no water, a servo pie and some chips, had to vlog, drive, sign stuff, interact with EVERYONE there - but you still had a chat. Cheers for being a massive inspiration man, you and your content has brought a whole load of joy into my life. I can heavily relate to being isolated when it came to liking cars at school - there were the usual blokes who liked their supercars and knew about the "JDM hero cars" from pop culture/media, but couldn't find anyone really into drifting and all of the oddball stuff I really got into until the later years of HS. Me and the few mates I did find started bringing our RC Drift cars to school, teachers didn't seem to mind us using them at lunch and after school time on school grounds as long as we didn't damage stuff. It all snowballed from that 😂
I always love to hear people's stories, sometimes even more from dudes like you than alexi because I connect with it a lot. I started getting into cars around my first year of high school (14 years old) playing Gran Turismo Sport and going to car shows, and my second year I spent every day in classes reading Speedhunters and the papers I wrote were all inspired by experiences in racing games or things I read online. Now I'm still only 18, but I'm super in love with all the stuff I see out there and I don't really care about anything else than cars. Mainly the coolest thing to me is just to think that someday I could really have my own cool car. I've got an '85 Nissan Z31 and a non-running '86 CRX Si, but those are just old funky 80s cars and I don't have the money or knowledge to make them the way I dream to. Also the fact that I'll be able to get out in the world soon and check stuff out, maybe find myself at some cool jobs or anything is just rad. Thanks to all the people out there who share their stories, whether you or Alexi or anyone, cause it inspires people like me to be so excited about our future.
Its funny you mention dramatizations because a BIG reason I like to watch your content is because its *real* . I feel like other channels do things for the "meme" or are too clickbait-y, or just regurgitate the same old facts and features we all know. I feel like, like you said, go and seek out the niche and interesting but also like you genuinely _want_ to share it with us because its interesting, not because "Oh this will get me views!!!1", your videos feel very relatable and honest
There’s plenty of car channels and car related content creators nowadays, but your channel is different. You mentioned being a big consumer of magazines when younger and it shows through your work. There’s always something professional and akin to a real journalist but with a lot of relatability and a sort of humbleness in your videos. It gives me a similar feeling to watching old top gear with Clarkson, Hammond and May. There’s a genuine passion that exudes from your videos and that’s really what makes me coming back to watch every video with the same joy as it was to first find your channel almost 10 years ago now.
I've been watching Noriyaro since 2015 or so, and it's been wild to see your progression both as a presenter and a driver. Hearing your story really inspired me; I'd often approached life with the mindset that you have to know exactly where you'll end up in advance, in order to aptly plan for the present. Hearing you talk about all the different avenues you explored, and the journey it took to end up where you are today, really helps motivate me to keep pushing through uncertainties. Perhaps the world is less linear and strict than I previously thought. Thank you man, please keep sliding.
I remember stumbling across your "Fixing and drifting a Skyline at Ebisu Circuit" video when it came out, and I was hooked ever since. It's clear to see your enjoyment for the cars and everything around it, which makes your videos so much more authentic as well. Your video work has improved immensely over the years since, and while I do enjoy the occasional wild car showcases, what keeps me coming back are the down to earth rip-and-repair videos with you and your cars. Appreciate you, and keep up the good work!
Noriyaro is the only car channel i recommend to my friends who are not into cars, just because even if all the stuff about cool jdm rides is boring, the stories you capture around them aren't, I hope you keep going for a really long time Alexi!
I was obsessed with those magazines back then; Fast Fours, High Performance Imports, Zoom, and to a lesser extent, Hot 4s. I couldn't wait to pick up the latest issue at the local newsagent and sink my teeth into the JDM content. Thanks for all the cool stuff you've released over the years Alexi, I hope you keep going for many more years.
How cool was Zoom. Full backyard builds but the custom parts to make stuff work back then was great to see. I beleive these magazines influenced so many ppl to try the impossible !
I love your videos because it's kept the same, or at least similar, structure from 10 years ago. You never adopted that drastic "Mr. Beast Era" change that many bigger car channels did where everyone was just doing the craziest or most expensive things that they could think of. It's always felt simple and clean with a semi-professional style to it and there's just something really endearing about it.
When I discovered your channel, it was kind of a replacement for a dying The Grand Tour. Absolutely love the similar slow pace, car reporter style of your channel, keep it up!
Super interesting video! I feel like I’ve heard so many of these stories through years of watching but getting the full timeline is neat. Keep up the great work and keep doing exactly what you want to do! We’ll keep loving it
This video has got me teary. Like many, I started following you back when in your blog era. The thing is, you have been the "option magazine" of this generation, I learnt so much thanks to you. I also move to Japan with just a backpack and gave it a shot, back in 2019, spent 3 great years working at a top tier automotive tuning company but sadly couldn't get a proper long term visa because I don't have a university degree. I even met you a couple of times at Ebisu and such.
Excellent video, thanks for taking the time to make it. I’m one of the countless folks who read your blog back in the day and it’s neat to see you’ve still got the passion.
I've been a subscriber for years, and always wandered about the backstory of your journey to get where you are, so I definitely had to watch this all the way through. As a lifelong creative, designer, artist, car obsessive, dreamer of experiencing many aspects of Japanese culture, and always dreaming of living a life in car culture like you've lived, I'm so envious of your life and career and everything you've done and achieved and where you're at now. You definitely deserve to be having the success and living the life you are. Keep up the great work and enjoy living the dream for those of us that will never be able to, we'll keep watching and supporting from afar!
Remember a lot of these stories, but had no idea where they went in the timeline of the NCU (Noriyaro Cinematic Universe™), Getting a 40min lore dump really cleared it up!
40:15 had me laughing way too loud! It was really cool to hear the whole story behind how the channel came to be. It's also kind of wild how 9 years have passed since I first saw a video of yours and where that took me and my interests. Time really flies, aye?
I'm a relatively newer viewer to the channel (maybe 3 years at this point), but I thought it was great that you mentioned how great your viewer retention is. I think I found out about you from Hoonigan, and compared to them and other channels I have watched your videos are always authentic, and humble, and just a lot of fun. I don't have to skip past sponsored segments or feel like I may be getting taken advantage of by clickbait thumbnails or people playing a character. Idk, you're just very down to earth and don't seem to have succumbed to the need to go over the top for entertainments sake, and I never miss an upload. Thank you for your videos, you are great
You know I could watch you walking through a meet the whole day. Absolutely love the way you take us along. Recently crashed my first car. (an outback and I fixed it) It was on the way back from drifting my slow af miata in the snow. They were my first real drifts, since there is absolutely zero space for normal drifting were I live. Had the greatest time sliding in the snow! All the hours in games and watching you did actually help. I even managed a few transitions.
I did the exact same thing with magazines as a kid. And in the same quest for more content I went searching everywhere for all things Japanese car scene related. And that's how I found your blog haha. So thank you for providing young me with plenty of insight and entertainment
This is so cool, appreciate the chat. We were always on the hunt for new Japanese street footage back in the day, downloading 1.5mb clips ripped from VHS on napster (thinking back I remember how horrible the tracking was, they couldn't have been DVD), seeing my first sidedraft Hachi in 360p, watching the Supra top speed runs etc. Noriyaro watermarked photos all over the auto world pointed back to you just a couple years later. I remember the early days of the channel with that ridiculous Celica and you struggling to keep the beercan running with no garage and just a Kei van for support. I'm not really into the car scene anymore, but I am a certified tech all these years later. Glad you have survived in the scene, hell you took over an entire corner of it!
The best thing about you and the channel you've made is that you're so genuine, no dramatic effect or click bait that doesnt deliver. I met you at an Ebisu Matsuri a long time ago and the Alexi I spoke to briefly was the same dude i see in the videos, just a friendly guy who's happy to share what he finds cool. Hope what you're doing works out and you can keep it up for a long time to come 👍
I am glad to have found this video, I've always wanted to hear the whole story. Thanks for the 2am upload, just got back home from a rainy cruise around the city :)
I randomly stumbled upon one of your Raw Drift videos YEARS ago, and I've been hooked ever since 🤙🏻 thanks for the down to earth, relatable, no bullshit content mate.
I've been along for the ride since the start of the noriyaro blog. One of my favorite youtubers for sure. One of the posts that stood out to me was Yuuta Onodera in his eunos roadster, keep on rocking out man and hope to see more good content from you.
Awesome mate, first met you in 2013 when you were judging a g1 gp at ebisu, time flys, glad your able to keep scratching that itch, always look forward to your vids ✌️
Not sure when I discovered the blog initially, but I know I've been following this youtube for over a decade. Alongside Juicebox, it's my favourite things on the whole internet. Thanks for letting us live vicariously, and I'm excited to see whatever you make for as long as you care to make it.
I started watching when Covid started when I began watching initial D out of boredom and wanting to get into cars. Binge watching your videos during long study sessions while in undergrad and grad school made homework more tolerable, keep it up Alexi!
I also became a "When I was in Japan..." guy. I imported an R33 to Australia back in 2002 (and spent far too much time on the Skyline Australia forums, which still exist) and the previous J-owner had included the stock wheels/exhaust/suspension and some car magazines, which amped my curiosity about Japan. That and some "back page" articles in HPI about Japan and japanese life - which now I realise were probably yours, so thanks for the inspiration - resulted in me moving to Osaka in late 2007 in the JET program. Sadly, I never got into the car scene when I was up there, but went to various car shows and salons. Quite a few modded JDM and imports around Tengachaya where I lived. It was a great time of life - information was scarce, everything was new, and making mistakes or getting lost was part of the experience. Now everyone is trying to be an influencer and commoditise the most basic experiences of travel and living in other country. Anyway, I moved back to Australia in 2011 - 36 hours before the Tohoku earthquake - but we still visit all the time.
Being 29 and just moving to Japan this past year the story of you jumping around jobs before taking the dive and moving out here resonates so much with me and it was really cool to hear!
One of my first videos of yours I saw was the snow race at I believe Ebisu, it was total carnage! You’re the reason I got into Japanese cars and the culture and was so rad to meet you at Dori dore last year! Thanks Alexi!
I found your channel a long time ago with a video of a car drifting where you could hear the blow off constantly, it sounded so good. RUclips recommended and I checked out more of your content and got hooked. Channel feels more personal and actually about car culture out of genuine passion rather than done for monetary gain only.
been watching you for a long time, even before i really even watched youtube all that actively. your channel will always be special to me. thank you for making such videos Alexi. the video "fixing and drifting an R32 at ebisu" or something like that, about 10 years ago now definitely, was when i started watching your content and it really got me into all of this stuff, always loved cars but your videos helped me discover this side of the culture and really get into it. thanks.
and been watching pretty actively since the video where you installed the light bar on the beercan skyline. for me that car is the most special from yours, I'm glad you're looking after it :-).
What's kept me coming back to Noriyaro for year after year is you present what is actually happening and the real side of car life in a more factual reporter kind of way that i really appreciate. Too many channels now add in fake drama or twist circumstances to suit their own narratives. You never fell into the trap of feeling you had to go bigger and bigger with each video, and losing what everyone likes about your content.
The first video I ever saw was when you bought that red 86 and drifted it at Yamanashi and I've been watching religiously ever since. Even though i'm only 20 now and was like 10 when I first watched that video. A big reason i'm into the cars and style that I am is because of that video and the ones that followed. Sportsland Yamanashi has such an chill atmosphere and is by far my favourite track to drift on Assetto. I hope one day I'll be able to visit it and get a taste of that atmosphere. I am not much of a commenter but wanted to take this moment to thank you, Alexi, for all the amazing content that we've been able to enjoy from you. As always I'm excited to see what the future holds for this channel!
When this dropped on Patreon yesterday, I started watching while wearing a General Mayhem t-shirt. I've followed you for over 10 years and Freiburger for at least six. The beercan makes so much sense now! Don't get it right, just get it running. Thanks for sharing your origin story, loved this!
been following since your Raw drift videos and i think the AE86 matsuri/N2 video at tsukuba was what allowed me to find your channel. cheers for all the years of content man
I got a few dori ten vcds off of eBay back in the day. You could tell they were all bootleg copies. Have some options stuff on VHS from back then too. Man I miss the tangible excitement of that era. Yep we are old now 😭
You are a good human being! I'm really happy for you and all the things that worked out for you the way they did. A true success story! I hope you keep making videos with the same enthusiastic energy you always had. Lots of love from Hungary! ❤
you’re the man! Have been watching for probably a decade and you shaped basically every car choice I’ve had over the years from your videos. Thanks for everything Alexi!
Thanks for sharing, Alexi! So much nostalgia in this one-feels like a time capsule of peak car culture. Loved hearing the stories and seeing all the old-school goodness!"
I loved this video. I remember watching your stuff in highschool back in 2013-2014 and now here I am about to be 27 years old and getting closer and closer to my dream of owning a drift car and being able to travel to Japan
Love everything you do man, its amazing how many Aussies still dont know about you, im spreading the word here in the drift scene of Western Australia.
The fact that you got to go all around the world because you make videos about cars on youtube is so amazing. You're such a wholesome guy, keep pushin!
Listening to your story arch has really got me thinking about where I've been going and my journey up until now. I appreciate you sharing this journey with us 😄 cheers Alexi 🤙
I’ve still got multiple copies somewhere of that old hpi dvd with you and Ben and maybe Afro? Even another one with shino and mumblez 😅 great memories! Have followed you for most of this! Appreciate this art you have put out for us to enjoy mate ❤
this isn't exactly the shop content I've been begging for, but I'll take it gratefully. shop looks sicj
День назад
Its fascination how peak Top Gear and Roadkill (peak Motortrend youtube I guess) went beyond borders and niches of car culture. Keep up the great work, I think I've been here for 10 years and also thanks to all the patreons.
That was an interesting recap of everything, I remember landing on the noriyaro blog and that was one of the only places we could find regular jdm car photos and the celica video I still remember like it was yesterday ! I would say one important thing for me was also your branding and I guess that came from your magazine experience? But it made things feels like there was a real magazine or something behind it. Not to mention the watermark on every photo that would lead us straight to your blog !
I watched the video of you and Darren in Japan countless times. Darren and I took my brother and friends to their formal. I remember him drifting around me entering the freeway. This was when competition cars were street registered. I had your video on how to drift. It was a different vibe back then. You had to look for drift content, whereas today it is pushed to you. So much style those days.
Cool to hear your origin story, pretty sure I've got one of those hot4s DVDs in a box somewhere, and might even remember that first car feature in the mag. I moved to NZ twenty years ago from the US & can relate to you moving overseas.🤙
Thank you for this video! You’ve always been pretty thoughtful about what you put out and I’ve always appreciated your objective based approach. I don’t follow many other JP youtubers because of that
Initial drift, Nissan Silvia and your video on how to drift is why I bought my first 180sx and came to drift with you ! I am 52 now but I miss those days at oran park etc so much as you said if you weren't part of that era you missed out on the best time. Glad to see how far you have come you deserve it and glad I met you before it all. Btw your getting old too ha ha
I was working as an ALT in Ishikawa and was contemplating buying a kei van to get around for a while, but being a long time reader of the blog and channel viewer, I watched a video, came to my senses,and ended up buying an SXE10 that I drove all the way from Nagoya to Kanazawa during Corona. I brought it back to the states with me when I finished my contract a few months back, but it’s a real trip knowing that the same Altezza that I used to drive to Hakuba and back is my kinda-sorta daily now even back home in America. I even developed a good relationship with my local drift shop out in Kanazawa (shout-out REM), and they always helped me out whenever I broke a radiator or a clutch doing hood rat shit. Thanks for the inspiration and the memories, I’ll try not to break my car now that it’s here in America
Honestly the best part of the video is the colection of cars in certified noriyaro fungus patina colour
Noriyaro-off-white
It might be scuffed but it has a soul.
Ah yes. Noriyaro loves Rasty's work so much he made his own brand called Rusty
He has one red one!
For real xD bros style is timeless
RIP car forums. A true loss to civilization.
they still exsist and are quite used for 2hand repairs at least in europe
Just got done looking through the forums to fix my car lol. They’re alive and well
Different type of carhead entirely but a bunch of old guys still push on Jeep forums specifically for Wrangler posting
Yeah I miss those days, so much good banter and technical information floating around. Often from people who had done the work too, so you'd get these little tidbits you'd never get from like a workshop manual or how-to guide. I remember countless times where I'd be like, how tf do I get to that bolt, and then someone on the forum had like a 12 step process to get to that one specific bolt already written up.
Skylines Downunder is a treasure trove of RFB knowledge that's still in-use today 😅
that AE86 video 9 years ago is my first gateway to your stuff. I am 18 back then but now I am 51. Keep making cool stuff man
hi crabman
9 years ago you were 18 and now you are 51 :D?
@omnidirectionalhuntergodradar time flies right? 😀
@omnidirectionalhuntergodradar prolly meant 31, atleast looking at the videos he makes.
bro is solid snake 😭
"What's The Storiyaro With Noriyaro?" FTFY
What’s the Storyaro Morning Gloryaro?
"wouldnt you like to know?" insert balamory intro
whatsiyaro theriyaro storiyaro withiyaro noriyaro
@ inceptionoriyaro
This camera setup looks like "The Council of Noriyaro has come to Judge You."
Always love the content, look forward to more.
I'm only one minute in, but this camera setup with your cars in the workshop as a background looks absolutely sick.
Can't wait to see the evergrowing collection of car parts, posters and other stuff being added in the future
Gotta love this guy for staying on the grind for so long
I literally started reading all the Noriyaro blog in year 8 high school (age 13), I remember flipping between Noriyaro and Speedhunters at any chance I could get. Couldn't count the amount of times I got pulled off the computers or put in detention or sent out of class when I got caught.
Fast forward to now, almost 26, I haven't missed a single Noriyaro or Noriyaro2 video since then.
I had a small chat with you at QLD Raceway for 1JZ meeting and honestly man, you're supremely humble, extremely friendly and just an all around brilliant person to and for the car community in general. I know you were probably running on 3hrs sleep, no water, a servo pie and some chips, had to vlog, drive, sign stuff, interact with EVERYONE there - but you still had a chat.
Cheers for being a massive inspiration man, you and your content has brought a whole load of joy into my life.
I can heavily relate to being isolated when it came to liking cars at school - there were the usual blokes who liked their supercars and knew about the "JDM hero cars" from pop culture/media, but couldn't find anyone really into drifting and all of the oddball stuff I really got into until the later years of HS.
Me and the few mates I did find started bringing our RC Drift cars to school, teachers didn't seem to mind us using them at lunch and after school time on school grounds as long as we didn't damage stuff. It all snowballed from that 😂
I always love to hear people's stories, sometimes even more from dudes like you than alexi because I connect with it a lot.
I started getting into cars around my first year of high school (14 years old) playing Gran Turismo Sport and going to car shows, and my second year I spent every day in classes reading Speedhunters and the papers I wrote were all inspired by experiences in racing games or things I read online.
Now I'm still only 18, but I'm super in love with all the stuff I see out there and I don't really care about anything else than cars. Mainly the coolest thing to me is just to think that someday I could really have my own cool car. I've got an '85 Nissan Z31 and a non-running '86 CRX Si, but those are just old funky 80s cars and I don't have the money or knowledge to make them the way I dream to.
Also the fact that I'll be able to get out in the world soon and check stuff out, maybe find myself at some cool jobs or anything is just rad.
Thanks to all the people out there who share their stories, whether you or Alexi or anyone, cause it inspires people like me to be so excited about our future.
Its funny you mention dramatizations because a BIG reason I like to watch your content is because its *real* . I feel like other channels do things for the "meme" or are too clickbait-y, or just regurgitate the same old facts and features we all know. I feel like, like you said, go and seek out the niche and interesting but also like you genuinely _want_ to share it with us because its interesting, not because "Oh this will get me views!!!1", your videos feel very relatable and honest
Lmao that's what I thought about Alexi's Initial D-centered content back in the day. Never have I been so glad to be wrong about my assumptions tbh.
There’s plenty of car channels and car related content creators nowadays, but your channel is different. You mentioned being a big consumer of magazines when younger and it shows through your work. There’s always something professional and akin to a real journalist but with a lot of relatability and a sort of humbleness in your videos. It gives me a similar feeling to watching old top gear with Clarkson, Hammond and May. There’s a genuine passion that exudes from your videos and that’s really what makes me coming back to watch every video with the same joy as it was to first find your channel almost 10 years ago now.
The aura of that garage is so amazing.
LOL "my friends bought me a defensive driving course", that's hilarious
I've been watching Noriyaro since 2015 or so, and it's been wild to see your progression both as a presenter and a driver. Hearing your story really inspired me; I'd often approached life with the mindset that you have to know exactly where you'll end up in advance, in order to aptly plan for the present. Hearing you talk about all the different avenues you explored, and the journey it took to end up where you are today, really helps motivate me to keep pushing through uncertainties. Perhaps the world is less linear and strict than I previously thought. Thank you man, please keep sliding.
The backdrop for this video is so cool looking, especially at the beginning how bright it is.
I remember stumbling across your "Fixing and drifting a Skyline at Ebisu Circuit" video when it came out, and I was hooked ever since. It's clear to see your enjoyment for the cars and everything around it, which makes your videos so much more authentic as well. Your video work has improved immensely over the years since, and while I do enjoy the occasional wild car showcases, what keeps me coming back are the down to earth rip-and-repair videos with you and your cars. Appreciate you, and keep up the good work!
Noriyaro is the only car channel i recommend to my friends who are not into cars, just because even if all the stuff about cool jdm rides is boring, the stories you capture around them aren't, I hope you keep going for a really long time Alexi!
Norilore!!! Let's go! Twitch stream condensed
this would've been a 40 hour stream
I was obsessed with those magazines back then; Fast Fours, High Performance Imports, Zoom, and to a lesser extent, Hot 4s. I couldn't wait to pick up the latest issue at the local newsagent and sink my teeth into the JDM content. Thanks for all the cool stuff you've released over the years Alexi, I hope you keep going for many more years.
How cool was Zoom. Full backyard builds but the custom parts to make stuff work back then was great to see. I beleive these magazines influenced so many ppl to try the impossible !
I love your videos because it's kept the same, or at least similar, structure from 10 years ago. You never adopted that drastic "Mr. Beast Era" change that many bigger car channels did where everyone was just doing the craziest or most expensive things that they could think of. It's always felt simple and clean with a semi-professional style to it and there's just something really endearing about it.
When I discovered your channel, it was kind of a replacement for a dying The Grand Tour. Absolutely love the similar slow pace, car reporter style of your channel, keep it up!
Super interesting video! I feel like I’ve heard so many of these stories through years of watching but getting the full timeline is neat. Keep up the great work and keep doing exactly what you want to do! We’ll keep loving it
This video has got me teary. Like many, I started following you back when in your blog era. The thing is, you have been the "option magazine" of this generation, I learnt so much thanks to you.
I also move to Japan with just a backpack and gave it a shot, back in 2019, spent 3 great years working at a top tier automotive tuning company but sadly couldn't get a proper long term visa because I don't have a university degree. I even met you a couple of times at Ebisu and such.
Been following for so long and very proud how ur Channel grew in following but the energy never changed
Excellent video, thanks for taking the time to make it. I’m one of the countless folks who read your blog back in the day and it’s neat to see you’ve still got the passion.
I've been a subscriber for years, and always wandered about the backstory of your journey to get where you are, so I definitely had to watch this all the way through. As a lifelong creative, designer, artist, car obsessive, dreamer of experiencing many aspects of Japanese culture, and always dreaming of living a life in car culture like you've lived, I'm so envious of your life and career and everything you've done and achieved and where you're at now. You definitely deserve to be having the success and living the life you are. Keep up the great work and enjoy living the dream for those of us that will never be able to, we'll keep watching and supporting from afar!
Remember a lot of these stories, but had no idea where they went in the timeline of the NCU (Noriyaro Cinematic Universe™), Getting a 40min lore dump really cleared it up!
NORIYARO LORE DUMP!!
40:15 had me laughing way too loud! It was really cool to hear the whole story behind how the channel came to be. It's also kind of wild how 9 years have passed since I first saw a video of yours and where that took me and my interests. Time really flies, aye?
I'm a relatively newer viewer to the channel (maybe 3 years at this point), but I thought it was great that you mentioned how great your viewer retention is. I think I found out about you from Hoonigan, and compared to them and other channels I have watched your videos are always authentic, and humble, and just a lot of fun. I don't have to skip past sponsored segments or feel like I may be getting taken advantage of by clickbait thumbnails or people playing a character. Idk, you're just very down to earth and don't seem to have succumbed to the need to go over the top for entertainments sake, and I never miss an upload. Thank you for your videos, you are great
Thank you for everything you've done for the community and the culture !
40 minutes of nice noriyaro content, nice start to february 🙌🏼
You know I could watch you walking through a meet the whole day.
Absolutely love the way you take us along.
Recently crashed my first car. (an outback and I fixed it)
It was on the way back from drifting my slow af miata in the snow.
They were my first real drifts, since there is absolutely zero space for normal drifting were I live.
Had the greatest time sliding in the snow!
All the hours in games and watching you did actually help.
I even managed a few transitions.
I did the exact same thing with magazines as a kid. And in the same quest for more content I went searching everywhere for all things Japanese car scene related. And that's how I found your blog haha. So thank you for providing young me with plenty of insight and entertainment
This is so cool, appreciate the chat. We were always on the hunt for new Japanese street footage back in the day, downloading 1.5mb clips ripped from VHS on napster (thinking back I remember how horrible the tracking was, they couldn't have been DVD), seeing my first sidedraft Hachi in 360p, watching the Supra top speed runs etc. Noriyaro watermarked photos all over the auto world pointed back to you just a couple years later.
I remember the early days of the channel with that ridiculous Celica and you struggling to keep the beercan running with no garage and just a Kei van for support. I'm not really into the car scene anymore, but I am a certified tech all these years later.
Glad you have survived in the scene, hell you took over an entire corner of it!
what a great story! thanks for taking the time to gather it all in one spot!
The best thing about you and the channel you've made is that you're so genuine, no dramatic effect or click bait that doesnt deliver. I met you at an Ebisu Matsuri a long time ago and the Alexi I spoke to briefly was the same dude i see in the videos, just a friendly guy who's happy to share what he finds cool.
Hope what you're doing works out and you can keep it up for a long time to come 👍
Here from the start and glad for it. Well done Alexi!
I learned all your background by watching the Trash Taste episode and I honestly love the story... what an inspiration.
SAME
same, this video was still interesting tho
I am glad to have found this video, I've always wanted to hear the whole story. Thanks for the 2am upload, just got back home from a rainy cruise around the city :)
Fastest 40minutes in my life, that was enjoyable video. Thank you alexi
I randomly stumbled upon one of your Raw Drift videos YEARS ago, and I've been hooked ever since 🤙🏻 thanks for the down to earth, relatable, no bullshit content mate.
Your channel has been a good tool for me to learn English back in 2015 with ae86 videos and itasha presentations so thats a gold mine of a channel
I've been along for the ride since the start of the noriyaro blog. One of my favorite youtubers for sure.
One of the posts that stood out to me was Yuuta Onodera in his eunos roadster, keep on rocking out man and hope to see more good content from you.
Awesome mate, first met you in 2013 when you were judging a g1 gp at ebisu, time flys, glad your able to keep scratching that itch, always look forward to your vids ✌️
You’ve paved your own path hats off to you mate that’s life goals right there, keep doing what your doing as I love watching your content
Not sure when I discovered the blog initially, but I know I've been following this youtube for over a decade.
Alongside Juicebox, it's my favourite things on the whole internet.
Thanks for letting us live vicariously, and I'm excited to see whatever you make for as long as you care to make it.
I started watching when Covid started when I began watching initial D out of boredom and wanting to get into cars. Binge watching your videos during long study sessions while in undergrad and grad school made homework more tolerable, keep it up Alexi!
I also became a "When I was in Japan..." guy. I imported an R33 to Australia back in 2002 (and spent far too much time on the Skyline Australia forums, which still exist) and the previous J-owner had included the stock wheels/exhaust/suspension and some car magazines, which amped my curiosity about Japan. That and some "back page" articles in HPI about Japan and japanese life - which now I realise were probably yours, so thanks for the inspiration - resulted in me moving to Osaka in late 2007 in the JET program. Sadly, I never got into the car scene when I was up there, but went to various car shows and salons. Quite a few modded JDM and imports around Tengachaya where I lived. It was a great time of life - information was scarce, everything was new, and making mistakes or getting lost was part of the experience. Now everyone is trying to be an influencer and commoditise the most basic experiences of travel and living in other country. Anyway, I moved back to Australia in 2011 - 36 hours before the Tohoku earthquake - but we still visit all the time.
Being 29 and just moving to Japan this past year the story of you jumping around jobs before taking the dive and moving out here resonates so much with me and it was really cool to hear!
One of my first videos of yours I saw was the snow race at I believe Ebisu, it was total carnage! You’re the reason I got into Japanese cars and the culture and was so rad to meet you at Dori dore last year! Thanks Alexi!
I found your channel a long time ago with a video of a car drifting where you could hear the blow off constantly, it sounded so good. RUclips recommended and I checked out more of your content and got hooked. Channel feels more personal and actually about car culture out of genuine passion rather than done for monetary gain only.
been watching you for a long time, even before i really even watched youtube all that actively. your channel will always be special to me. thank you for making such videos Alexi. the video "fixing and drifting an R32 at ebisu" or something like that, about 10 years ago now definitely, was when i started watching your content and it really got me into all of this stuff, always loved cars but your videos helped me discover this side of the culture and really get into it. thanks.
and been watching pretty actively since the video where you installed the light bar on the beercan skyline. for me that car is the most special from yours, I'm glad you're looking after it :-).
What's kept me coming back to Noriyaro for year after year is you present what is actually happening and the real side of car life in a more factual reporter kind of way that i really appreciate. Too many channels now add in fake drama or twist circumstances to suit their own narratives.
You never fell into the trap of feeling you had to go bigger and bigger with each video, and losing what everyone likes about your content.
The first video I ever saw was when you bought that red 86 and drifted it at Yamanashi and I've been watching religiously ever since. Even though i'm only 20 now and was like 10 when I first watched that video. A big reason i'm into the cars and style that I am is because of that video and the ones that followed. Sportsland Yamanashi has such an chill atmosphere and is by far my favourite track to drift on Assetto. I hope one day I'll be able to visit it and get a taste of that atmosphere.
I am not much of a commenter but wanted to take this moment to thank you, Alexi, for all the amazing content that we've been able to enjoy from you. As always I'm excited to see what the future holds for this channel!
Very interesting episode, it’s awesome to hear the history of creating NoryYaro⭐️
Wathing you since 2017!
When this dropped on Patreon yesterday, I started watching while wearing a General Mayhem t-shirt. I've followed you for over 10 years and Freiburger for at least six. The beercan makes so much sense now! Don't get it right, just get it running. Thanks for sharing your origin story, loved this!
Helllllll yeah dude thank you for this! Looking forward to many years of goodness
Please never stop doing what you do , you make my life living as I am bareable because I can live vicariously through you as you put ur vids out
been following since your Raw drift videos and i think the AE86 matsuri/N2 video at tsukuba was what allowed me to find your channel.
cheers for all the years of content man
Lol wow "VCD" damn that makes me feel old.
I got a few dori ten vcds off of eBay back in the day. You could tell they were all bootleg copies. Have some options stuff on VHS from back then too. Man I miss the tangible excitement of that era. Yep we are old now 😭
The definitive Nori video. Found your blog around 2009 and then later on YT. Keep on sending it brotha ✌
You are a good human being! I'm really happy for you and all the things that worked out for you the way they did. A true success story! I hope you keep making videos with the same enthusiastic energy you always had. Lots of love from Hungary! ❤
Noriyaro is one of my favorite car you tubers out there. His content is be very distinct from other youtubers. Looking forward to your future videos
you’re the man! Have been watching for probably a decade and you shaped basically every car choice I’ve had over the years from your videos. Thanks for everything Alexi!
Thanks for sharing, Alexi! So much nostalgia in this one-feels like a time capsule of peak car culture. Loved hearing the stories and seeing all the old-school goodness!"
I loved this video. I remember watching your stuff in highschool back in 2013-2014 and now here I am about to be 27 years old and getting closer and closer to my dream of owning a drift car and being able to travel to Japan
Love everything you do man, its amazing how many Aussies still dont know about you, im spreading the word here in the drift scene of Western Australia.
The fact that you got to go all around the world because you make videos about cars on youtube is so amazing. You're such a wholesome guy, keep pushin!
The backstory on the animation and magazine work makes a lot of things make sense! One of my favourite channels, thanks for sharing!
I love the Noriyaro lore I’ve been watching this channel for 10+ years content is always so good
The beer can skyline in the snow and red ae86 videos are actually my favorites of yours. Ive rewatched the ae86 one I dont know how many times
Listening to your story arch has really got me thinking about where I've been going and my journey up until now.
I appreciate you sharing this journey with us 😄 cheers Alexi 🤙
Keep doing what you do… no need to change… people follow you for you man
I’ve still got multiple copies somewhere of that old hpi dvd with you and Ben and maybe Afro? Even another one with shino and mumblez 😅 great memories! Have followed you for most of this! Appreciate this art you have put out for us to enjoy mate ❤
this isn't exactly the shop content I've been begging for, but I'll take it gratefully. shop looks sicj
Its fascination how peak Top Gear and Roadkill (peak Motortrend youtube I guess) went beyond borders and niches of car culture. Keep up the great work, I think I've been here for 10 years and also thanks to all the patreons.
It's been at least 8 years and still one of my favorite people to watch.
DAJIBAN! vid was one of my favs. Just so much fun and weird and a perfect little slice that makes your channel great. Congrats and cheers!
The HPI videos are my childhood, I watched them so many times back in the early 00s
This is so rad. Thank you for sharing your story Alexi!
That was an interesting recap of everything, I remember landing on the noriyaro blog and that was one of the only places we could find regular jdm car photos and the celica video I still remember like it was yesterday !
I would say one important thing for me was also your branding and I guess that came from your magazine experience? But it made things feels like there was a real magazine or something behind it.
Not to mention the watermark on every photo that would lead us straight to your blog !
Thanx you make me feel old. My timeline is the same. Side note who remembers max power magazine…
Great vid and keep it up!
I read those too
The ali g issue was so funny
I watched the video of you and Darren in Japan countless times. Darren and I took my brother and friends to their formal. I remember him drifting around me entering the freeway. This was when competition cars were street registered. I had your video on how to drift. It was a different vibe back then. You had to look for drift content, whereas today it is pushed to you. So much style those days.
Totally agree ! That era was special and so was affro lol...I loved drifting with him and so fun in the pits
Magazines, initial D, forums.
If you’re relating to this, how’s your back pain today? 😭
Not great 😅 haha
I know what you mean!
The back feels good "today."
I’ve been subbed for years and always knew you came from magazines but wow the lore dump was much needed
Cool to hear your origin story, pretty sure I've got one of those hot4s DVDs in a box somewhere, and might even remember that first car feature in the mag. I moved to NZ twenty years ago from the US & can relate to you moving overseas.🤙
I started watching your channel when I worked in my last job working nights before I became the deputy manager. That was 11 plus years ago!
love the noriyaro origin story! hope you can start an online store with shirts and stickers this year so I can help support!
You are truly one of the best to do this mate
Been watching for almost 10 years, love the content, thank you for everything! 😊
Thank you for this video! You’ve always been pretty thoughtful about what you put out and I’ve always appreciated your objective based approach. I don’t follow many other JP youtubers because of that
Always looking out for your next video mate don’t stop!
Initial drift, Nissan Silvia and your video on how to drift is why I bought my first 180sx and came to drift with you ! I am 52 now but I miss those days at oran park etc so much as you said if you weren't part of that era you missed out on the best time. Glad to see how far you have come you deserve it and glad I met you before it all. Btw your getting old too ha ha
the itasha scene coverage is peak, please keep going with that!
you are a g for sharing the special stuff that we might have never seen without your videos. that special flavor we crave
Nearly had a heart attack for a second
Thanks for the name check Alexi. Always good to hear you are doing what you love and doing it well.
Alexi, I enjoy your content. I appreciate you sharing your story. I'm happy for you and your success! Thanks for sharing your adventures!
The background is stunning, the lighting, the sun rays, the clapped out cars behind... Very nice 👍
I was working as an ALT in Ishikawa and was contemplating buying a kei van to get around for a while, but being a long time reader of the blog and channel viewer, I watched a video, came to my senses,and ended up buying an SXE10 that I drove all the way from Nagoya to Kanazawa during Corona. I brought it back to the states with me when I finished my contract a few months back, but it’s a real trip knowing that the same Altezza that I used to drive to Hakuba and back is my kinda-sorta daily now even back home in America. I even developed a good relationship with my local drift shop out in Kanazawa (shout-out REM), and they always helped me out whenever I broke a radiator or a clutch doing hood rat shit. Thanks for the inspiration and the memories, I’ll try not to break my car now that it’s here in America